Moongazer
by Xxemo-inu-demoness-xX
Summary: The first chapter is a summery... i couldn't fit it all in here.... but please read it... and the review it....inuXkag
1. Summery

**Imagine every night entering a nightmare world you can't escape and being told real life is a dream. Kagome Higurashi has it all: the cool job, the hot boyfriend, the apartment on New York's Upper West Side. But lately she can't enjoy any of it. She's having dreams of a post-apocalyptic world. Of a bleak wasteland. Of a struggle against oppression. And she's been told she's a....**

_MOONGAZER_

But what is that? And what is reality? In her dreams, she's not Kagome Higurashi at all, but Kikyo Talaham. In her dreams there's Inuyasha, the beautiful yet haunted solider, and Kagome is but the empty shell of the girl he once loved. And there was a betrayal, a great betrayal. Ripped between Dark Siders and club kids, the mundane and the mystic, Kagome must discover who she is, what she wants and who wants her. And why. But in the glow of the moon, it's not always easy to recognize the face in the mirror.

So, are you willing to go on this adventure with Kagome?

Review and tell me what you think... But make your decision because once you do you cant go back.


	2. Prologue

FYI: Inuyasha is NOT a demon but he still looks like his demon self, get it?

Disclaimer: I do not own INUYASHA or the idea of this story (it belongs to someone very great and I thank them for the story)

Anyway, i hope you enjoy!!!

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Running. I am running for my life. That much i know as my silver stiletto boots clink a rapid, repeating staccato beat against the metal floor. But where am I? Who's chasing me? And, most important, why?

I have no idea.

_Run faster. Run harder. Run from the moon._

A strange voice echoing through my head seems to mock me as it begs for speed with an urgency I can't comprehend. Endless demands competing with my own frantic thoughts skitter across my brain like a dog's claws on slick linoleum.

Where am I? _Run faster. _Who's chasing me? _Run harder. _And why? _run from the moon._

But there is no moon. The corridor is black, skyless, deep underground. And I'm already running as fast and as hard as I can.

I suck in a breath and take in my surroundings- trying to think, to process, to find a shred of familiarity in the dark steel beams crisscrossing the black ceiling, the mammoth fans that cut into the walls every few feet, expelling hot, sour air that my already burning lungs struggle to accept. It all seems so familiar and yet at the same time completely foreign. Like a deja vu pricking at the dark recesses of your brain, or a name on the tip of your tongue- the one you remember at 3:00 a.m., when it no longer matters.

Except, this time I think it might still matter. And 3:00 a.m. may be too late.

"Don't let her reach the hatch!"

My heart slams against my chest as I realize my pursuers- whoever they might be- aren't that far behind. Sweat pools in the hollow of my throat, then drips down. (Ummm... ewww.) My muscles burn, my lungs refuse to take in air, I can barley swallow, and my vision has gone spotty. Soon i'll have to stop. To take a break.

But to stop is to die. That much I know. And so I keep running.

I turn a corner and my bleary eyes catch sight of a ladder, firmly embedded into the wall, a potential salvation ascending into the darkness. Where does it go? Could it lead to the hatch my enemies seek to keep me from? To stop and check it out will eat up valuable time- time I don't have. But I have to take a chance. I can't run forever.

I throw myself against the ladder, wrapping my hands around each rung as I climb, step after step. The ground falls away, and with it the dim tunnel lighting, and soon I am engulfed in darkness.

A few seconds later I bang my head against something, almost falling off the ladder from the impact. I steady myself, then reach up with one hand, fingers exploring the ceiling until they came upon a latch. There's definitely some kind of trap door.

"Up there! Get here!"

I hear feet clanging against the metal rungs as my pursuers start up after me. I don't have much time left. Wrapping my hand around the trapdoor handle, I yank with all my might. This is my one chance to escape.

It doesn't budge.

I pound on the door, my heart exploding in my chest as I realize that I likely have precious seconds to live. Surprisingly, my life does not flash before my eyes; in fact, I'm still having difficulty remembering any life at all. Who I am. What I do. How I got into this mess.

_Run from the moon, _the mysterious voice in my head demands.

"Shut up," I mutter, tired of it's useless advice.

The first man reaches me, paws at my feet through the darkness. "we've got her! he cries. And indeed, it seems he has.

Not willing to give up without a fight, I slam my foot down on his hand, the stiletto heel driving into his palm. A crunch of the bone. A yelp of pain. I repeat the blow, then follow up with a wild kick to where I estimate his head to be, all the while clinging to the ladder for dear life. I don't miss. Knocked off balance he loses his grip, falls backward and hurtles screaming into the blackness. (Can you imagine that???)A sickening thud, followed by silence, tells my he's likely met his maker bellow.

But his death is not enough to save me. The second guy is right behind him and much more prepared for my alley cat tactics. There's a flash of light- a crimson beam cutting through the darkness- then a sharp, icy pain spreading through my ankle, shooting through my veins at a lighting pace, reaching my toes, my fingers, my brain simultaneously. My grip loosens, my head swims, my muscles fail. At first I fear he'll just let me fall, hurtle down to my death. But my attacker grabs on and starts dragging me down the ladder.

Not good.

At the bottom, the men flip me over so that I'm lying on my stomach, spread-eagle on the cold ground. I can't move at all, my body is Jell-O, my muscles completely useless.

But I can see. I can hear. I can feel.

Three men kneel above me, armed with some pretty scary-looking tools, including something that looks like a high-tech electric syringe, complete with the gauges and lights and a _really _long needle. I'm not sure what it does, but I know for a fact that I don't want it done on me.

The first man reaches into his bag and pulls out a small silver box. he presses his thumb against the top. the box beeps and flashes a green light, then pops open, revealing a vial of some sort. He presents the vial to the man with the syringe, who takes it ans sticks the long needle inside, sucking up the unidentified contents. the syringe beeps in approval and a few green lights flash in sync.

"Are you ready, my dear?" the man with the gun asks, his lips curl in a sneer.(I don't want to describe it all so let's just say he looks like Kijimbo.) He's wearing a shiny metallic belted uniform reminiscent of Michael Jackson's costume in _Captain Eo._

"Please!" I beg, not thinking for one second that anything I say will make a difference, but at the same time desperate to try. "Just let me go!"

The men laugh, shaking their heads in mirth. "Oh, you'll go alright," replies the second guy. he's smaller then the first, but no less menacing. "Pow! he quips. "Straight to the moon."

They grab my arm and flip it over. I watch helplessly as they stab me with the syringe, injecting silver liquid into my unwilling veins. I scream and scream and scream, knowing it will do no good. Knowing that there's no escape.

Like it or not, I'm going to the moon

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Man!!!! My fingers hurt like crazy!!!! I hope it was worth it

Oh and sorry KEVA.... Hope we can make up. :)


	3. Chapter 1

Sorry it took so long. I have a lot to do in school!!! well here's the next chapter, hope like it.

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"Kagome, Kagome! Wake up!"

The voice seemed a thousand miles away as I clawed through the blackness, struggling to regain consciousness. After a few futile attempts, I managed to pry open my eyes and shake off the nightmare's iron grip.

"Ah, she rejoins the living. Welcome back," Kouga teased, having no idea of the hell I'd just been through. He lay back down on his side of the bed, evidently satisfied he'd sufficiently fulfilled his duty as a boyfriend by waking me, and now felt justified to go back to his own much more peaceful dreams.

I rubbed my eyes and sat up in bed, taking in my surroundings, still trying to catch my breath. My eyes sought and focused on the familiar: The slightly battered four-poster bed, draped with my aunt's home-made quilt. My ragged stuffed animal, Kirara (i didn't have anywhere else to put her *sorry*), strewn to one side. My antique bookcase against one wall, crammed with well-worn fantasy epics I couldn't bear to throw away. My prized Alienware computer, souped up to run the latest and greatest video games. And, of course, my famed music posters all over the walls- Jonas Brothers, Plain White Tee's, All American rejects, All Time Low. I smiled a little as Nick, Tom, Tyson ,and Alex all glowered down at me, as if daring me to claim my nighttime adventures more hellish then their everyday lives.

I took a breath and plopped my head back down on my pillow. My closet of a New York apartment, the one the Realtor called "cozy" in a way only Realtor's can get away with while keeping a straight face, for once actually did evoke a feeling of comfort and warmth.

I was home. I was safe. I was me again.... Until the next dream.

"Wow, that was the worst one yet," I remarked to Kouga, in a rare hope that he was still conscious. There was no way I was going back to sleep now, and it would help to have someone to talk to. Not that Kouga was the best of listeners, but he did have a knack for responding with a grunted "mm-hmm" at appropriate pauses in the conversation.

"Yeah?" he asks, for once going above and beyond.

"Yeah. I can't remember all the details. I mean, you know how dreams are. But it's like I'm running down this underground corridor, fleeing for my life. Someone's chasing me, but I don't know who- or why, for that matter. And then they inject me with some kind o drug. But the weird thing is it's, like, not exactly me. It's almost as if I'm someone else. . . . . "

"Were you naked?" Kouga queried, rolling over on his side to face me, his sea blue eyes dancing mischievously.

I swatted him. "No!"

He laughed. "Too bad. Here I thought this was going to turn into a really great sex dream. Like the one I was having with Ayame Hintaro before your screams woke me up."

I grimaced. "Uh, thanks for sharing your nocturnal infidelity."

"No,no," he corrected with a smile. "You were there, too. Damn shame I woke up when I did, actually."

I forced a chuckle, but it sounded more like a sigh. I knew he was trying to make me feel better. Normally it would work. But after night upon night of horrible nightmares and little actual rest I was at my breaking point. Irritated, frustrated, and oh so tired. It was no wonder his lighthearted manner only succeeded in annoying me.

"Look," I said, "I know it sounds funny, but when I'm dreaming it all seems so real. And when I wake up, I'm. . . terrified." I chocked out the word. Great. The last thing I needed was for him to see me cry. I was supposed to be tough. The cool chick. In control of every situation thrown in my way. And here I was, crying like a baby over a stupid dream.

Can we say loser?

Kouga's face softened, the way some guy's faces do when the girls their sleeping with turn on the waterworks. Maybe he figured he could soothe my vulnerability and get some action at the same time. But lovemaking was the last thing on my mind. In fact, since I'd stared having the dreams, I'd pretty much lost my sex drive all together. Poor Kouga. He'd selflessly gone with out for nearly a month now. Who could blame him for trying to take advantage.

I allowed him to gab my hand and pull me into a hug. But just as I'd resigned myself to settle into his arms, he shoved me away again. "Ew, you're all sweaty," he complained, wiping his hands on his boxers. So much for the comfort of a lover's embrace.

"Fine. I'm going to take a shower," I muttered, accidentally on purpose kicking him as I crawl out of bed. I headed to the kitchenette to pour a cup of yesterday's leftover coffee. It didn't matter that it was ice cold or tasted like tar. It had caffeine; that was all that mattered. "And then play some _Perfect__Life."_

Kouga groaned, grabbing a pillow and throwing it in my general direction. It fell short, landing on my unswept floor with a soft plop. I made no move to pick it up.

"You know staying up all night with your little games can't be healthy," he lectured.

I narrowed my eyes. Little games? That was my livelihood he was talking about. At age twenty-four, I was the youngest game designer at Chixt3r, the world's first all-girl-run computer gaming company. The launch of our massive online game _PerfectLife: Medieval Times _was scheduled to happen in two weeks, and it'd hyped by _Hyper _magazine as the biggest thing since _World Of Warcraft._

Little game, indeed.

"How about you take your shower and then play some _real _life instead of your virtual version?" Kouga continued. "You know, maybe do your 'sleeping quest' tonight so that tomorrow you can be awake enough for your 'work quest' chain?"

"Hardy-har-har. Your so funny." He was always teasing me about that- implying that i considered my real life a series of quests, just like a character would in a video game. Accomplish one goal, get your reward, move on to the next. Level up by day in the game of life. In a way, he wasn't far off the mark.

"Look, I can'r go back to sleep," I said, forcing back my annoyance and focusing on his suggestion. I mean, what good did it do to justify my career to him? He was a techno DJ! (hAHA) "I'm afraid I'll have another drea,."

Even from across the room, I could see him roll his eyes. "They're just dreams, Kagome," he said slowly, as if addressing a child. "They're not real."

"They may as well be."

"Look." He sat up in bed. "I wouldn't worry about them. Unless you start seeing Freddie Kruger wielding some terribly creative weapon of dream destruction, then you will be fine." he chortled to himself, evidently pleased by his wit.

"Whatever," I replied wearily. "I'm going to take that shower."

In the bathroom I switched on the light. The Realtor had described my apartment as having a marble bath and Jacuzzi tub. I assumed the marble was the cat's eye a past tenant had suck in the window to plug an old bullet hole, and the tub did bubble when the plumbing failed and spurted out used bathwater from the neighbor downstairs. You had to love New York.

I turned on the water and crossed my fingers. I had about a fifty-fifty chance of hot water at the time of night. In the mourning, the odds go down to about twenty-eighty. But hell, I only paid twenty-one hundred a month for the place. What did I expect?

I caught my reflection in the mirror. This no-sleep thing was definitely affecting my looks. Dark, puffy splotches circled my eyes. An unsightly zit had made itself at home at the tip of my nose. My once-stylish shag cut stuck out in all directions like straw from a scarecrow. In short, I was a mess.

Suddenly, my breath caught in my throat, which was constricting and making it nearly impossible to breathe. Argh. This was the last thing I needed tonight. I'd had asthma since i was a kid and sometimes it got pretty bad. Especially in stressful situations. I reached into the drawer under the sink and pulled out my inhaler. Putting the device in my mouth, I released a dose of Lunatropium into my lungs. Recently I'd been trying to cut back on the amount of times I used the inhaler each day and had been learning to control my breathing through yoga instead. But tonight seemed like a good time to give myself a break and let modern medicine lend a hand.

After my shower- there was hot water, thank God- I toweled off and headed back to the main room of my apartment. Changing into clean pj's, I sat down at my computer desk. I glanced over at Kouga. He'd fallen back asleep and was sure to be out of it until at least noon. As a DJ, spinning nights at a Lower East Side club, he was entitled to spend his mournings dead to the world while the rest of us sorry humans put in our Starbucks orders and jockeyed for positions on the subway.

Not that I didn't like my job. It was just the lack of sleep I'd had, these days it was harder to stay awake for it. I was pretty sure my boss had begun to notice my sudden drop in performance, too. Not good. Because Foosball table, creative dress code, and free orange soda (man I Lurve That Stuff!!) aside, twenty-first-century dot-coms like mine were down right traditional when it came to clocking in and working hard.

I logged in to the server and selected my game character. I was doing beta testing for the soon-to-be-launched _PerfectLife, _checking for bugs and other errors before it was distributed to the general public. The medieval virtual earth I'd created was practically empty now, inhabited only by only computer-generated characters and myself. But soon it'd be alive with avatars (hold on for a moment.... did you see that movie??? OMJ!! it was AWESOME!!!) from all over the world; players logging in to live a virtual existence, creating characters to fight digital monsters, competing for epic weapons and armor, and forming lifelong friendships with fellow gamers.

For now, though, it was empty and mine to explore. An escape from all that plagued my reality. I loved it there. It was haven, a solace.

From my twenty-one-inch monitor, my game character "Allora" looked back at me, probably wondering why I wasn't moving her. As an all-girl company, Chix3r had gone one step further then the traditional guy-centric games like _World of Warcraft _or _Everquest, _where the player characters were flat and did exactly what they were told. Our characters had their own personalities, their own artificial intelligence built into their code. Sort of like if you could put _The Sims _in chain mail and give them swords. So while you could control your character's movements and direct his or her career path, you couldn't make them do things they didn't want to do. The wouldn't fight if you didn't feed them first. They'd refuse to accept a quest if they were tired. They got lonely if you didn't socialize them , and angry if someone did them wrong. Sometime they can get really scary.

"Okay, fine,Allora. Let's go back to the pub," I whispered, moving the mouse to direct her to the local tavern. "We'll get you a beer." For beta-testing purposes we'd temporarily sectioned this virtual town off from the rest of the game. Allora had no idea there was a world outside her city. To her, the outskirts of her town her the ends of the earth. She was fortunate that way.

I sat her at a table and brought her a beer. She raised her glass and drank, blissfully unaware of her own plight or her operator's exhaustion. So innocent. So happy. So content. If only I could join her there- crawl into my computer, immerse myself in my virtual world, and block out my reality. How wonderful would that be?

But that was just another dream. I took a big slug of coffee and started testing settings

* * *

I entered Chixt3r's SoHo headquarters at exactly 9:30 a.m., aka one hour later then I was mean to arrive. At some point I'd passed out at my computer- no dreams, thank God- and had fallen into such a deep coma that I completely missed my alarm clock. In fact, it beeped for about forty minutes before Kouga got fed up and proceeded to knock it off the nightstand. The destruction of the third alarm clock I'd gone through that month had succeeded in rousing me. Then there was the forty-five minute wait for the subway. Sigh.

I stepped off the elevator, greeted the receptionist, and walked through Cubical Land until I got to my office. I loved it there. Getting out of Cube Hell had been the best thing about my promotion to senior game designer. Sure, it was small as anything, but the room had a floor to ceiling window, complete with an amazing view of a Chinese laundry and pizza stand. The only thing that slightly unnerved me was the smoked-glass inner walls. As people walked by, they inevitably peeked in-either to spy on weather I was actually working [my boss] or for the sheer pleasure of voyeurism [everyone else]. After the forst week of this, I went home and designed curtains for my poor fish Omi. Unfortunately, I wasn't permitted to do the same for myself.

I waled over to my desk, sighing at the mess. Had I really left all these papers strewn about when I left last night? I used to be so conscious of organization, but now I barely had enough hours in the day to finish work, never mind scheduling time to clean up after myself. I needed an assistant, badly. Or a clone. That would be nice.

I settled into my chair and logged in to my computer. As I waited for Windows 7 to start up, I heard a knock on the door. Great. Interruption number one, right on time. "Yes, what is it?" I snapped, trying not to sound cross even though I was. After all, it wasn't my visitor's fault that I hadn't had a good night's sleep in weeks.

"It's Sango. can I come in?"

I groaned, suddenly shifting for merely tired to downright irate. I'd told security time again and again not to let my cousin into the office during work hours. But they couldn't seem to resist her sweet talk, low-cut dresses ,and chocolate chip cookies, which she bragged were homemade. Yeah \, they were homemade all right-by Yura, Sango's housekeeper. Sango wouldn't know where the kitchen was if it wasn't where her stepfather stored the gin.

Since it would be easier to stop the running of the bulls then deny the vivacious eighteen-year-old entrance, I wearily instructed her to come in. she pranced into the room, enveloped in a cloud of Dior's Poison and dripping in diamonds, and approached my desk. She'd changed her hair color since the last time I saw her-surprise, surprise- and was now sporting a spiky, fire-engine red. It was a look few could pull off without channeling Bozo The Clown, but somehow Sango managed to do it with style.

"Darling!" she exclaimed, throwing out her arms to hug me. She waltzed behind my desk, invading my space, and leaned over to plant air kisses on each cheek. Ugh. The girl was a walking, talking society-girl stereotype, and I always found myself bitting my tongue not to tell her to get a real personality. "Where have you been all my life?"

"Sango," I acknowledge, keeping my voice level and calm. "What can I do for you today?"

She threw on a wounded face. "Does a girl need a reason to visit her favorite cousin in the whole wide world?"

We've discussed this. Seventeen times at last count. I'm very busy when I'm at work. I don't have time for visits." Out of the corner of my eye I watched my boss walking pass my office, staring in. Her displeasure would be readable a mile away. Darn these glass walls. Now, if the game had one tiny little mistake, she was going to blame me for socializing on the job. As if I had a choice.

"Oh yes," my cousin sniffed, taking a seat instead of my not-so-subtle hint to leave. "You and your important job. The free world as we know it would just collapse if gamer girls couldn't get their geek on."

"Did you come here to solely disturbme and insult my livelihood, or did you have another purpose?"

"I wanted to see if you were going to Luna tonight. Kouga's spinning, right?"

Luna was a nightclub on Lower East Side where Kouga occasionally DJ'd. Once a decrepit hole in the wall, it had gotten a write-up in the _City's Choice _and had recently become the trendiest place in town. Sango's boyfriend managed the joint and she was always trying to get me to go.

"No way." I shook my head. "I haven't slept well in two weeks. The last thing I need is to go clubbing."

She puffed out her lower lip in a pout. "Aw, come on, Kagome," she begged. "You haven't been there in forever. We miss you."

Yeah. they missed me. The _old _me, that is. The carefree, happy-go-lucky kid who loved to dance and drink and party. The new Kagome, the one haunted by nightmares, the one who hadn't had a decent night's sleep in eons, would prove to be a dud who rained on their Ecstasy parade. "Sorry, Sango. I'm not just feeling well. I've been having these horrible nightmares and-"

"Ooh, that reminds me, I had this crazy dream last night," Sango butted in. "Kellan Lutz and I were talking, and then in walks Joe Jonas, right?"

I sighed. "Sounds great," I interrupted.

Sango stopped, the smile fading from her face. I watched, a bit confused. what had come over her all of a sudden? The change in expression was so abrupt. Almost as if someone had flipped a switch.

"What's wrong?" i asked.

"Kagome, I _need _you to go to Luna tonight," she said in a detached, almost mechanical voice. "I think Miroku is cheating on me and I need you to find out if I'm right."

Without even going to the club I could make a pretty educated guess that she was, but I felt bad admitting it. I knew that under her carefree, party-girl exterior Sango was vulnerable and innocent and really loved her coke head club manager of a boyfriend.

"Why me? Why don't you hire a private detective or something?" I asked. Certainly the girl could afford it. "Have him follow the guy around for a few days."

Sango frowned. "Duh," she replied, seeming to get some of her persona back. "A private detective can't get into the VIP room at Luna. Only you can."

"What makes you think he might bring the girl there, anyway? He knows he might run into you. And it's not like you can't get into the back rooms."

"I told him I wasn't going tonight, That I was visiting my mom on Long Island," Sango explained. Evidently she'd been working out this plan for a while. "And he's asked me a thousand times whether I'm still going. I know he's planning something."

I sighed. It did sound likely.

"Please?" Sango's eyes filled with tears. "I need to know, Kagome. I mean, this is the guy I've been planning on marrying. If he's cheating on me"-her voice cracked-"I need to make some hard decisions."

Argh. It was the last thing I wanted to do tonight. I had a ton of work to get done on the game before release day. Not to mention I was existing solely on coffee fumes. But Sango was my cousin. And I'd always prided myself on being there for people when they needed me.

Against my better judgement, I walked around my desk and put my arms around her. She buried her face in my shoulder and sobbed. I stroked her long ponytail. "It's going to be okay. No matter what I find, we'll get through this, all right?" From this angle I noticed a small moon-shaped it reminded me of my crazy dreams.

She pulled her head away and met my eyes. "So you'll do it?" she asked, her face hopeful. "You'll go to the club tonight? See if he's got a girl on the side?"

"Yes," I assured her. "I'll go."

"Oh, thank you, Kagome! You're the best cousin in the history of cousins!"

I laughed. "I don't know about all that, but thanks. Now go away. I've got a busy day ahead of me. Especially now that I can't work tonight."

Sango thanked me about four more times and the exited my office. I sighed and walked back to my desk, slumping down onto it. This was _so_ not how I wanted to spend my evening: going to a club. Ugh. But what could I do? I'd promised.

My lungs constricted. Great. All this drama was inducing my asthma. I started to reach for my inhaler, then changed my mind and started my exercises.

_Breath in. Hold it. One, two, three. Breath out._

_Breath in. Hold it. One, two, three. Breath-_

God, I was so tired. My eyelids weighed a ton. If only i could close them for two seconds. Just lay my head on my desk and....

....

I'm walking across a long suspension bridge made of rope and anchored by cracked stone pillars, spanning a chasm of indeterminable depth. (A/n: you know, like the bridge that Inuyasha and Keade and Kagome had to walk across to get to that evil witch that was making Kikyo a new body) Underground again: an inky blackness stretches high above. The surrounding cavern walls emit a dim glow, like there's a phosphorus embedded deep inside. The air smells acrid. Of sulfur, or really cheap cologne.

I step gingerly, placing my foot down on one of the small wooden planks. A slight wind catches the bridge, swinging it back and forth. and I grip the rope handrails tightly, my heart beating fast.

I look to the other side, my apparent destination, and to my surprise I see Keade standing at the bridge's end. Keade's my yoga teacher, the one's who's been giving me breathing lessons to lessen my dependence on asthma medication. She waves, offering one of her trademark smiles. I try to smile back but my mouth seems frozen in place. Why is she here? What does she want from me? And why are her eyes glowing an iridescent green?

There's only one way to find out, so I draw in a deep breath and take another step. I can hear the bridge groan under my weight. It must be ancient, and the rope looks brittle. i look behind me. I'm too far to run back. I have to keep going. I have to hope it will stay together for one more crossing.

"Keep walking, child," Keade encourages. "You're almost there."

I step again. And again. Step after step after step. The bridge seems endless, but still I persevere. What chose do I have?

Finally, I'm close to the end. Near Keade. Near the solid ground of the rocky bank beyond the bridge. But just as I'm about to make that final leap to safety, I hear a loud cracking. i whirl around just in time to see the stone pillars on the other bank disintegrate before my very eyes. the rope suspension splits. The bridge shudders and cracks, the far side swinging down onto the cavern. A split second later I'm vertical, hanging on to the handrails for dear life.

"Help!" I scream to Keade, who is just standing above me, arms crossed and a serene smile on her wrinkly face. She's wearing a long white robe, the costume of a goddess. A white crescent moon seems to glow form her forehead.

"You've got to help me!"

"Pull yourself out, Kikyo," she commands in a calm voice. "You have the power to do you. You always have."

Terrified, I try to pull myself up, my feet dangling uselessly, clawing for some kind of purchase. My heart pounds in my chest. My arm muscles burn. I won't be able to hold on much longer. "Please!" I beg, tears streaming down my cheeks, blurring my already spotty vision. I can't believe she's just standing there when I'm about to fall to my death. "Just help me. Give me your hand."

"You don't need my help anymore, Kikyo," Keade says with a gentle smile. "Look within yourself. You have the power."

I have no idea what she's talking about, but now is not that time to try to puzzle it out. Summoning all the willpower and adrenaline I can muster, I give one last heave and hoist myself onto the bank. My chest slams into the solid rock floor, knocking the wind out of me. Automatically I search my pockets for my inhaler, but Keade steps lightly on my hand with a slippered foot.

"No," she says, shaking her head. " 'Gazers enhance to the pull of the moon. For a successful reentry you must stop inhaling."

Is she crazy? I have asthma. Of course I need my medication. But then I realize she's right. I can breath. Large lungfuls with little effort. I gulp them like a fish that's been out of the water almost to the pint of death.

When I've finally caught my breath, I scramble to feet. "Why didn't you help me?" I demand, crossing my arms.

Keade just smiles her strange smile. I don't know if I want to hug her or punch her. "Because you didn't need me to," she says, placing a white hand on my arm. "You are almost ready."

I cock my head. "Ready? Ready for what?"

"For reentry. The Ecplipcers have been working hard to get you out for a long time now. Myself included. our doctors think you're almost there."

"Reentry?" What the heck was she talking about?

"You're starting to remember. These dreams are a good sign of that. pretty soon you will awaken back home. But you've been gone a long time, Kikyo, and your mind has been through a lot. Moongazing can cause serious brain damage. Our doctors believe your brain is still intact-all the vital functions. But we're not sure about your memories."

My head hurts, my body hurts, and now I'm baffled on top of it. "Why do you keep calling me Kikyo?"

"Because that is who you are." Keade reaches over to pull a strand of hair from my face and gazes at me with tender green eyes (that's creepy). "Do not worry, little one. All will be clear in time. First we must get you out. Then we can start working on your recovery."

"Recovery? Out?"

"Sadly, there is no time to explain." Keade glances at the watch on her wrist. "But listen carefully. When you finally go through reentry, you won't know where you are. Maybe not even who you are, You'll be vulnerable. Alone. If Naraku finds you, he may try to suck you back in-get you back on the 'Gazers. Don't trust him. We may not be able to get you back a second time."

I feel like I've walked into a movie late, and the rest of the audience knows way more then me. I don't even know what kind of questions to ask.

"When you come home, call Inuyasha. He will be able to help you," Keade reaches into a small reticule tied to her belt and pulls out a feather pen. She takes my hand in hers and scribbles on the back.

_Don't trust Naraku. Find Inuyasha._

_-.. .- .-- -._

"What does that mean? What are these symbols?"

"I'm sorry, child. We're out of time. It's pulling you back now." Suddenly her voice sounds a million miles away. "Just remember-seek Inuyasha. Avoid Naraku."

""Seek Inuyasha, avoid Naraku," I repeat helplessly. I can feel the darkness creep around me, yanking at the edges of my sanity. "Anything eles?"

"Yes. One more thing," Keade says, her voice taking on an ultra-serious tone. "Whatever happens, whatever you do, promise me you'll never, ever look into the moon."

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so wat with that???? Inuyasha coming in the next chapter (stars in eyes) HE'S SO KEWL!!! plez review peoples, i'll be waiting!!!!

inu: who says i want to be in here?

me: you did.. it was you or Kouga

Inu: (growls) you still put him in here

me: deal with it. here's some ramen

inu: (suddenly happy) NINJA FOOD!!!

me: thats right.... just eat (evil smile)


	4. Chapter 2

(Trumpets Blare) DunDunDunDUN!!!!!!!!!!!

AND I BRING YOU. . . . . CHAPTER TWOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Yes inuyasha comes in in this chapter- just remember he is doesn't have all of his inu powers, only strength im thinking- but he still looks like his hanyou self. OMJ (ohmyjonas for all you jonas haters) im so excited about this chapter!!! im guessing i should get on with the chappy but i want to talk.... naw, i think i'll let you read now

DISCLAIMER!!!! I DO NOT OWN IUYASHA!!!!!

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I ignored the seemingly never-ending line, which wrapped almost all the way around an entire city block. Luna. The once hole-in-the-wall nightclub become such a must-go destination for Manhattan's rich and bored, the designer bags in this line alone could be the down payment on a Park Avenue penthouse. Disgusting.

The jealous stares of the line-waiter burned my backside as I waltzed up to the velvet ropes and gave the burly bounce a hug. Benny had been working the door since the days Luna paid actors to line up an attract a crowd. He looked like a thug but was actually a teddy bear.

"Hey, doll-face," he greeted me. "Haven't seen you in while. Slumming it tonight?"

"Yeah," I said with a shrug. "I've sort of given up the club scene now that I have a real job and all. Going to bed at three a.m. just doesn't work for me anymore." Technically I'd gotten more sleep back i my club kid days then recently, but I didn't want to explain my nightmares to anyone else.

He laughed. "Good for you, kid. Good for you." He unclasped the velvet rope ad I noticed a small moon tattooed between his thumb and forefinger. It looked just like Sango's. Was this some kind o new trend I hadn't heard of? I supposed I'd learn about it soon enough.

Benny ushered me in. "Have a good time," he said, flashing me a toothy grin.

I walked over to the threshold, down a dark corridor, and into the main room. The club was packed with hot, blinged-out dancers, gyrating to a fast-paced techno beat. In the old days we used to have real rave kids at Luna, complete with baggy pans, glow sticks, an whistles; a fun-loving crowd without the attitude. These days the club was packed with insecure socialites and and the Wall Streeters who fucked them. Nope. Not really my scene.

But it didn't matter, tonight I wasn't here to play. I had a mission: get to the VIP room, find Sango's stupid boyfrind, see if he's sucking face wit some other chick, then head back uptown for another sleepless night.

I pushed my way through the crowd an made my way to the VIP section. The bouncer, new guy I didn't know, checked his list, then undid the rope. I climbed the stairs to the elite lounge where only Manhattan's finest deemed worthy to hang. I felt a bit like an intruder, being far from Manhattan's "finest," but seeing as my boyfriend had spun here the last four years, I probably had more right to hang then any of them.

Itwas still early and there wer only afew inhabitants: women in low-cut sparkly dresses and killer heels, a group of Armiai-clad businessmen eyein them. They all lounged on designe couces, sipping champagne and blatntly ignoring the NYC smoking ban. Mirku was nowhere t be seen. I sank down into a nearby chair and allowed a cocktail waitress to take my drink order. Miroku would show up eventually, especially if he had a new girl he wanted to impress. In the meantime, I might as well relax and enjoy the music. I waved at Kouga over at the DJ booth. He grinned, probably thrilled to see I'd left my apartment, and blew me a kiss. For the first time in while I felt kind of good. Even with it's newfound cheesy club-goers, Luna was a place where I felt somewhat at home. It was safe. It was familiar. And it was loud enough to ensure that I wouldn't fall asleep.

The last dream, the one I'd had at work that afternoon, had been especially bizarre. My yoga teacher's words echoed through my brain.

_"You can resist the pull all by yourself."_

I laughed. Had to give my brain credit; it sure could be creative when it wanted. Wait till Keade heard about her starring role.

I glanced down, my laughter dying in my throat as my eyes fell on the spidery hand writing scrawled across the back of my hand. The marks Keade had made were there clear as day.

_ Don't trust Naraku. Find Inuyasha.  
-.. .- .-- -._

I jumped up from my seat, pulse racing as I stared at the message, hardly believing what I saw my own eyes. How could words, written in a dream, still be written on my hand? Had i somehow written them myself? Done some sleep-scibbling or something?

_You will be back with us very soon, Kikyo. . ._

I shook my head, trying to clear my thought. This was stupid. So I'd falling asleep at my desk. So I'd had another nightmare. I'd been having them for weeks, it didn't make them real. And the writing on my hand? there had to be some logical explanation for that-

A flash of hot white light suddenly blinded me, hurling me back into my chair. the floor buckled, as if jarred loose by an earthquake. I grabbed the armrests for support, frantically scanning the room-expecting screams, stampedes, club-goers tripping over their stilettos as they fled the premises.

Horrifyingly enough, no one else in the in the room seemed the lest bit disturbed, They talked, they laughed, they had no idea. I was evidently the only one seeing the streaks of lightning arcing down the center of the room. The only one feeling the jarring aftershocks.

My heart banged against my rib cage, a fight-or-flight mechanism kicking in. Something was wrong here. Really, really wrong. Was this it: was I finally losing my mind?

"I'd like a Jack and Coke, please," a man said. I turned to him to watch him order his drink, hoping to regain some semblance of control by doing so. _Just watch the encounter. Focus in something normal. Something real. Something not ripped from my evidently psycho delusional brain._

My heart stopped. Literally.

The man was the same as the one who'd chased me in me dream. the one who'd caught me on the ladder, dragged me down, stuck me with the syringe. The black-bearded man from my nightmare, the one in the Captain Eo suit who shouldn't really exist, was now sitting next to me. Real. Alive. Here.

He caught my eye and gave a friendly wave. I started to scream. The world spun off its axis like a bum needle skimming across a record, and I was suddenly spiraling into a strange white light. The I blacked out and saw no more.

* * *

I opened my eyes. I'm no longer in Luna, no longer safe and sound in the VIP section of Manhattan's trendiest club. Instead I'm standing in some kind of small, box-like room. It's the size of a telephone booth, but with opaque movie screen panels on all four sides, swirling with kaleidoscopic color. The air is thick, with a sickly odor that's nearly overwhelming.

I realize I'm wearing some sort of dark glasses, and I reach up to pull them off. Blinking a few time, my naked eyes struggle to become accustomed to the brightly lit walls. I glance around. The ceiling is a mess of wires and tubes and the floor is made out of a metal grate. The glasses are attached to some kind of retractable cable so that, when I release them, they are sucked up into the ceiling, completely disappearing from view. I hope I don't need them for anything.

Swallowing my rising claustrophobia, I feel around for an escape rout. I find a lever and push down on it, breathing a sigh of relief as the wall in front of me collapses, revealing an exit. Stepping outside the box, I enter a long hallway, carpeted with crimson-colored shag. Every few feet there's an identical door to the one I just exited. Each is painted black and emblazoned with a gold crescent moon. My heart stutters in my chest as I remember Keade's warning.

_Don't look into the moon._

Just in case, I avert my eyes, feeling a bit silly for doing so. I mean, how can a door decoration hurt me?

It's then that I notice the small gray pads next to each door, each with two tiny red and green light. All the red lights flash in sync, except for the door closest to me. the lights glow a solid green.

I shake my head. Am I having another dream? No, this seems different. solid. More real. And I know I didn't fall asleep in the club. Impossible, with all that shaking and bright light. Unless that had been a dream, too.

_You won't know where you are. Maybe even who you are._

I frown. But I do know. I'm still Kagome Higurashi. Manhattan residence. Game designer. A girl currently awaiting men in white coats to take her away.

I look down one end of the hallway and then the other. Each seems to stretch off into infinity. Which way to go? I haven't a clue. Swallowing my rising fear, I choose a direction and start walking. Soon I discover a cleverly angled and mirrored door. The endless hallway is only an illusion.

Could this be the way out, or will I be stepping into more danger? I look back down the hallway, realizing I don't have much of a choice. I push a button and the door slides open. I step over the threshold, terriflied as to what I'll find on the other side. Judging from past dreams, it could be anything. It could even be my death.

"Ah, you awake. You enjoy trip?" asks a small, wizened Asian man, bowing low. He stands behind a counter, dressed in an old-fashioned suit, like a character out a Charlie Chan movie. His name tag simply states PROPRIETOR. I stare at him, not sure how to respond.

"What trip? Where am I?" I ask at last, completely bewildered.

The man only laughs.

I look around, trying to take stock of my surroundings. The place is over-the-top gaudy. red velvet sofas, shiny mirrored coffee tables. Elaborate decorative lamps. totally Las Vegas brothel chic. I notice a few twenty-somethings lounging on the couches, chattering and laughing amongst themselves. The girls wear cute little tank tops, flouncy miniskirts, and thigh-high stiletto boots: manga characters come to life. The guys are in long belted tunics over tight black leather pants. I surreptitiously check out my reflection in a nearby mirror. I'm still wearing my club clothes from Luna. Black corset top, short plaid skirt, platform boots. Thats good. At least I somewhat fit in.

I look back at the group. one of the girls has pulled out an inhaler that looks just like mine. She takes a quick puff, then waves good-bye to her friends as she heads toward the hallway I just exited.

Curiouser and curiouser. . .

"Man come look for you," the proprietor informs me, drawing my attention away from the other guests. "You gone long time, I tell him you may not come out. People in as long as you seldom do. But he insist on leaving card." He takes my hand in his own wrinkled grip an presses a piece of paper inot it. Someone was looking for me? Here? I stare at the card, confused. It's then that I notice the name.

_Brother Naraku, Senator._

A chill trips down my spine. The guy Keade was talking about, the one I'm supposed to avoid, has been here. Looking for me. That doesn't seem very goos. Underneath the name there's another of those long string of dashes and dots. "What does this code mean?" I ask, my voice trembling.

The man looks at me like I'm insane. "Phone number, of course," he says in a total "duh" voice. "You need to use phone?" He picks up a silver, crescent-shaped object that looks like no phone I've ever seen and offers it to me.

"Um, no. I mean, yes?" I decide, having no other idea what to do. I glance down at my hand. Sure enough, Keade's warning is still inscribed on my palm.

I glanced at the card again. Naraku? Who is this guy? A senator? What makes Keade say not to trust him? Can I trust Keade? And what about this Inuyasha?

The proprietor frowns and taps his foot impatiently. "You make call," he demands, and suddenly the whole situation seems even more sinister. Could this guy be in cahoots with Naraku?

"Can I... have some privacy?" I ask, stalling for time.

For a moment, I see a sheen of annoyance flit over the man's face, but he forces it back and smiles at me. He's got perfectly white and shiny teeth. "Of course," he says and bows again. he steps back from behind the counter and heads to one of the unoccupied couches.

I stare at Naraku's card, then the name on my palm, wondering what I should do. Who should i call. if I should call anyone. then something deep inside me stirs and Inuyasha's name drifts through my consciousness, a shard of glass washing up on shore, dulled by the sea. Inuyasha can help me, I realize, having no idea why I believe this to be so.

deciding to trust my subconscious, I set down the card and use the code written on my hand instead, then bring the phone to my ear. It rings twice before a man answers. "Yes, what is it?" he asks impatiently.

"Um, I'm l-looking for Inuyasha," I stamper, not quite sure what to say now that I've the call. _I'm having this weird dream and my yoga instructor thought you could help me with it_? He'd probably hang up then and there.

"This is Inuyasha."

"Oh." I pause, taken aback. "I'm sorry. I thought, well. . . I figured Inuyasha would be some old guy."

Silence on the other end. Then, "Kikyo?" the voice asks. "Is that really you?"

I frown. What was with this girl Kikyo? Why does everyone think I'm her? "Uh, no. This is Kagome," I correct him. "And, well, I'm not exactly sure why I'm calling. It's just that I woke up in this strange place and had your number written on my hand." Jeez, he's going to think I'm some chick he met at the bar last night. "I know that sounds really bizzar, but-"

"You've got a hell of a nerve calling here, Kikyo," Inuyasha interrupts.

I frown. "I told you. I'm not Kikyo. I'm Kagome. I don't know who Kikyo is."

I hear a heavy sigh on the other end of the line. Silence, and then: "Where are you?"

Good question. I glance around. "Uh, I don't know. I woke up in some small room with movie screens or something, and walked down a hallway into some weird brothel-looking place and-"

"A Moongazer station. Of course," Inuyasha concludes, not sounding too happy about it. "Which one?"

I glance around, looking for some sort of locator. "Um. . ." My eyes fall upon some sort of bill, lying on the counter. "Area 52?" I read.

"Ah," Inuyasha says, seeming to recognize the place. "Slumming it ,are you? The senate wouldn't pay for a trip from one of the high-class joints? What a shame." His voice is thick with sarcasm.

"What? I don't-" I couldn'y be more seriously lost in a conversation if I tried. Maybe I should have called the Naraku guy instead.

"Well, at least you're close. There's a Rabbit Hole on Fifty-Third. I'll meet you there in five."

"Uh, I'm not sure. . ." I realize I'm talking to no one. Inuyasha, whoever he is, has already hung up and is on his way to collect me. I really hope I didn't make some mistake calling him. . .

I notice the proprietor is staring at me suspiciously from the couch. I pretend to continue my conversation. "Oh, yes, Naraku. It's great to talk to you, too," I say loudly, forcing a laugh. "I'm sure i'll see you soon. Bye, now!"

I ended the "convo" and set it down on the counter. "That Naraku," I say, shaking my head and smiling as the Asian gentleman rises from the couch and walks back to the counter. Luckily, he seems to be buying my act. "He's coming to pick me up. I'm going to wait outside for him." I start heading to the doord.

"Wait!"

I freeze in my tracts at the guy's words. Now what? Did he not believe my act? He shuffles over to me and, to my surprise, reaches up to wrap his fingers around the moon necklace I wear around my neck.

"You must return charm before you leave," he says firmly. "No keeping."

"Wait!" I grab for the necklace but he's too quick. yanking it away. The delicate clasp gives away and the chain pools into his hands. "That's mine! My mother gave me that for graduation."

He rolls his eyes. "You no play game," he scolds. "That my necklace." He palms it and heads back behind the counter, opening a cabinet. I gasp as my eyes fall upon the contents--hundreds of silver necklaces, identical to mine. The Asian man slips my chain beside the others and then proceeds to close the cabinet door. "Now you go," he says, turning back to me and giving a toothy grin. "maybe I see you later."

In a daze, I headed toward the exit. Every time I think this experience couldn't get any weirder, it does. My eyes widen as I step outside. I'm not sure how I was expecting the exterior to look, but ti wasn't this.

Moongazer Palace, in all its neon, Vegasian glory, sits plopped in the middle of a dark, post-apocalyptic-looking nightmare world. Dim streetlights cast a sickly orange glow on narrow dirt alleys framed by crumbling, decrepit buildings. Barred windows, battered doors, chipped paint. Inuyasha wasn't playing when he'd called the place a slum.

The breeze, man-made from a gigantic fan down one end of the road, whips through the street, swirling up small whirlwinds of debris. I cough to clear my lungs. the smell of decay and garbage is overwhelming, inescapable, nauseating.

I look up and see a high rock ceiling. Like in my dreams, this place appears to be completely underground. A bubble world, a large stone cave.

I glance back at the building I just exited. Its neon light, advertising something called "Moongazing," buzzes and flickers. Its tagline, "Are you ready to look into the moon?" is slightly unnerving. The gaudy exterior clashes with the rest of the nondescript grey buildings in the neighborhood, making me wonder the story behind how it came to sit here.

I look down the alleyway and notice a bright crimson stain splattered against a brick wall. red liquid drips down, soaking into a dirt puddle. Is that blood? Human blood? I glance around nervously. Maybe. Or maybe someone eles needs help.

I step into the alleyway to take a closer look. It's then that I feel the presence. Someone has stepped in behind me. I search for an escape. It's a dead end. I tense as I hear the heavy footsteps approaching. Is it friend or foe?I take another look at the blood. I've got to think foe.

Strong hands clamp down on my shoulders, nails cutting into bare flesh, but i am not a victim. I let out a yell and then kick my foot behind me, going for the groin. The solid contact, followed by a cry of agony, tells me I didn't miss. I whirl around, rising my hands in a defensive stance, ready for round two. It's then that I get my first real glimpse of my attacker.

Wow.

Broad shoulders narrow to a lean, trim waist; that muscular chest is encased in black leather. He's got chiseled, high, delicate cheekbones and a full, luscious mouth. His eyes are hidden behind mirrored sunglasses and long layers of almost translucent platinum-colored hair fall into his face, giving him an unearthly look. But the weirdest thing is. though I know I've never seen this man before in my life, he somehow looks familiar. the deja vu is once again pricking at my brain.

He stares at me for a moment, crouched in agony, then straitens and steps forward. "Nice to see you again, too, Kikyo," he snarls, not looking at all pleased.

"Don't come any closer!" I command, praying he'll obey. I know some self-defense, but it's not like I'm very practiced on a real opponent. Besides, I've already used my one trick. "I've. . .got a gun and I'm not afraid to use it." _Yeah, right, Kagome. And a bridge to Brooklyn, too._

The man ignores my threat, leaping forward too fast for my eyes to follow. He reaches me in an instant, slamming me into the brick wall, bruising my back. He grabs my arms and wrenches them above my head, pinning my by my wrists. I'm his prisoner. Flush against him, breasts squashed against chest.

"Is this what you want?" he asks in a husky voice. "You want to fight?"

His muscled thigh presses between my legs and a sensual tingle competes with my fear. he smells of the earth-rich, dark, musky. Face inches from mine, his luscious mouth set in a scowl, his eyes are unreadable behind the glasses.

"Let me go!" I demand, squirming against him, a movement that only succeeds in heightening my arousal. What is wrong with me? I should be screaming for help, not getting turned on. Yet there's something about this experience, some weird glimmer of familiarity.

He stops and stares at me for a moment, and i catch my flushed reflection in his mirrored shades. Then he leans into me, crushing my mouth against his, taking possession, wresting from me my submission. My traitorous body burns as his fingers claw at my trapped writs, his mouth bruises my lips, his thigh grinds between my parted legs.

A moment later he jerks back and shoves me into the brick wall, turning. Head bowed, he glowers at the ground, hands balled into tight fists.

"What the hell you do that for?" I cry, rybbing my back. I sould be releived at being let go, but instead, for some reason, I feel the sting of rejection.

He turns to me, ripping off his sunglasses. I gasp. His eyes are the most beautiful I've ever seen. The lightest that hazel can ever get. They're so intense they practically glow. i'm mesmerized, and for a moment I can't look away. This is, without a doubt, the most beautiful man I've ever laid eyes on.

Also, perhaps, the angriest.

"You think you can just waltz back into my life after what you did?" he demands, pacing the width of the alley like a caged beast. "That I'll take you back with open arms? Well, you're wrong, Kikyo. I'm done, This time, I am really done."

What is he talking about? He obviously recognizes me. Does he, too, think I'm Kikyo? Then that must mean. . .

"Are. . .are you. . .Inuyasha?" I venture, thought I'm pretty sure I know the answer.

He rolls his eyes. "I can't believe you have to ask me that! Of course I'm Inuyasha! God, Kikyo. Why are you fucking with me head? I can't take it."

This is Inuyasha? The guy Keade says I'm supposed yo trust?

I glare at him. "Look, I only ca;;ed you 'cause my yoga instructor said you could help." Gosh, that sounded so stupid when I said it out loud. "But obviously she was wrong. Just forget it." I push past him and head down the alley, as fast as my platform boots can take me. Screw him. I'll put in a call to Naraku instead. Ot maybe I'll just head back to Moongazer Station, chill out on one of the couches while I'm wairing to wake up. Doesn't matter, really. As long as i'm as far away from the asshole as I can-

"I should have known they'd try to bring you back."

I stop walking. "Who?" I ask, not turning around.

"The Eclipsers," Inuyasha replies, his voice sounding tired and drained. "Keade and her gang. I told them not to. Said that you'd made your choice and were gone forever. But they couldn't accept that. They never could."

I turn around slowly, curiosity eroding my anger. "Why did Keade tell me to call you, then? If you're all anti me being here and all."

Inuyasha shrugs. "She probably figured if I saw you again I'd take pity on you. Forgive you. Hop back on the Eclipser bandwagon." He scowls again, and I notice his beautiful, angry angry eyes are shinning wet. "But I don't forgive you. And I never will. To me, you'll always be a traitor." His voice cracks. "I hate you Kikyo Hinitro."

He turns away, but not before I can see his face start to crumble. Pain radiates from his body as he leans against the brick wall, stone cold but ashen-faced. I have to fight the nearly overwhelming urge to walk over and hug him. To pull him into a warm embrace and tell him that everything will be okay. Not that I have any idea whether or not that's true.

"I'm sorry," I say in my gentlest voice, placing a hand on his back. I don't know what I'm apologizing for, but I feel the need to say something. Of couse, I should be insisting that I'm not Kikyo, but I don't want to set him off all over again.

He turns around slowly, looking down at me with his glorious eyes, and for a moment I think he's going to kiss me again. Instead, he reaches up and strokes my face with the back of his hand. So soft, so tender. The wisp of a butterfly's wing against my cheek.

"Look, Kik', we can't stay here," he murmurs. "It's too dangerous for a Dark Sider to be so close to Luna Park. We must go under."

I cock my head in confusion. "Under?"

"We can hide out at my house until I inform the Eclipcsers you're back. I'm sure thry're waiting for you." He offers his hand. "Come on."

"I don't know if that's a good idea. . ."

Inuyasha frowns and drops his hand to his side. Then he reaches behind him and pulls out a small, sleek silver knife, pointing it directly at my heart. I jump back, shocked.

"I'm sorry yo do this," he says in a terse but even voice. "But if you value your life-what's left of it, anyway-you'll come with me."

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[Scream!!!] is inuyasha one of the bad guys?!? can kagome trust him? who knows, maybe i'll make naraku be the one who saves kagome from doom! plez review! hoped you likey!!!!!


	5. AN

once again this is not my idea. I said that before! leave me alone about it! (Hannah)

and im sick of you! leave me alone! if you really want to do something, get a real account so we can have a little chat... (


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